


Too Busy Being Yours

by bavariansugarcookie



Series: Do I Wanna Know? [2]
Category: The Pacific (TV)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Fluff and Smut, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Post-Canon Fix-It, Sharing a Bed, Soft boys being soft, but they figure it out eventually, like straight up THE WORST, these boys are the worst at communicating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2020-05-12 00:48:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19218220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bavariansugarcookie/pseuds/bavariansugarcookie
Summary: Eugene shows up on Merriell's doorstep, but these boys don't make anything easy.*This is solely based on the actors' portrayal in the TV show.*





	Too Busy Being Yours

Merriell frowned when there was a knock on the door at 10:00 at night. Surely the landlord wouldn’t come this late…

He opened the door and his jaw dropped. “Sledgehamma!”

Sledge smiled. “Hi, Snaf.”

Merriell just stared for a second before he shook himself. “Wanna come in?”

“Thanks,” Sledge said, smiling weakly as he stepped inside. Merriell was suddenly very aware of the threadbare sofa and dingy carpet, but Sledge just smiled. “I like the lighters,” he said, pointing at the lighters lining the windowsill.

“You know me, I never want to run out,” he said with a wink. He drummed his fingers on the counter. “Do you want a coffee?”

“That sounds good,” Sledge said.

Merriell nodded at the kitchen table. “You sit down, I’ll make it.”

He snuck glances at Sledge while he measured out the coffee grounds and water. He had dark shadows under his eyes and Merriell wondered if he wasn’t sleeping either.

When the coffee was done, Merriell poured them both a mug and walked over to the table. “It has chicory in it, so it’s a little bitter,” he warned. “But it’s a hell of a lot better than mess hall coffee.”

He grabbed the sugar bowl and sat it in front of Sledge, who smiled and murmured thanks.

Merriell sat across from him and sipped his coffee. “So, what brings you to Nawlins?”

Sledge shrugged. “I needed a change of scenery.” He blushed a little. “Burgie gave me your address.”

“That sounds like Burgie,” Merriell grinned, inwardly planning on ripping Burgie a new one for not telling him first. Who cares if it was at his wedding?

Sledge smiled a little. “Yeah.” He leaned back in his chair and took a sip of coffee. “You’re going to the wedding, right?”

Merriell hadn’t been sure 5 minutes ago, but now… “Wouldn’t miss it,” he said with a wink. He fidgeted with the coffee cup. “So, how’re your folks?”

Sledge’s eyes widened. “They’re… good.” He bit his lip. “They’ve done a lot for me, but I just… couldn’t stay.”

“Mobile high society that much of a drag?” Merriell joked, and Sledge grinned.

“You have  _ no  _ idea.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “If I got introduced to one more girl who’d make the ‘perfect wife…’”

Merriell flinched and Sledge went still, watching him. Merriell cleared his throat. “You want some more coffee?” He scooped up the coffee cups and went over to the coffee pot, taking a little longer than necessary to fill them up.

“So how long are you thinkin’ about stayin’?” Merriell asked when he came back with the mugs, trying to steer the conversation to safer territory. 

Sledge took a sip of his coffee. “‘M not sure. I was gonna go see if I could find a hotel.”

Merriell frowned. “Why would you do that? You can stay here.”

Sledge gaped at him a little. “I wouldn’t want to impose…”

Merriell snorted. “You don’t have to use your fancy socialite manners with  _ me _ , Sledge.” He leaned in. “I’m not gonna kick you out after you came all the way out here.”

Sledge swallowed. “Why’d you leave, then?”

Merriell looked down at his coffee cup. “‘M not good at goodbyes,” he mumbled.

“It didn’t have to be goodbye.”

Merriell smiled weakly and shrugged helplessly. “Guess not.” He nudged Sledge’s leg with his foot. “It's good to see you, Sledgehamma.”

Sledge smiled softly. “You too.”

Of course Sledge insisted on sleeping on the couch, so Merriell went to bed. 

It was a bad night. He woke up to a dark shadow leaning over him. “No, don’t!” he gasped.

He struggled against the hands trying to hold him, until a voice finally filtered through. “Snaf, stop, it’s me, it’s Sledge!”

Merriell went limp. “Sledgehamma?”

“Yeah,” Sledge said, wrapping his arm around Merriell’s shoulders. “You’re ok, you’re home.”

Merriell buried his face in Sledge’s chest. Sledge ran his fingers up and down his back, talking in a low, soothing voice. Merriell let his voice wash over him, breathing Sledge in. He didn’t smell like mud and gun oil and sweat like he had back in Japan. Now he smelled like soap and aftershave. The hint of cigarette smoke clinging to his shirt was the only familiar scent, and it made Merriell think of shared cigarettes and stolen kisses. 

Sledge’s fingers moved from his back to his hair. Merriell sighed and leaned into the touch as his heartbeat finally started to slow. 

“See what you’ve been missing?” he mumbled into Sledge’s neck.

“You’re not the only one who has bad dreams, Snaf,” Sledge said softly.

“So we’re both SNAFU now, huh?” Merriell asked, and Sledge chuckled.

“Guess so.” His fingers wove through Merriell’s curls. “Do you think you’ll be able to go back to sleep?”

Merriell shrugged. “Maybe.” He sat up. “D’ you think you could stay?”

He couldn’t read Sledge’s face in the dark, but he just said, “Sure.” He climbed into bed next to Merriell, who threw an arm across his chest and nuzzled into him.

“Sorry the bed’s a little small.”

“It sure beats an army cot,” Sledge joked, slipping an arm under Merriell’s shoulders. “This ok?”

“Yeah.” Merriell could feel himself starting to drift off already. “Thanks, Sledgehamma.”

“You’re welcome,” Sledge said sleepily.

Merriell curled his body around Sledge’s, knotting his fingers into his shirt, afraid Sledge would be gone before morning light.

Streaks of sunlight filtered through the blinds, and Merriell blinked. It took him a moment to realize that he was tangled up with Sledge in his own bed and not on his old cot.

He needed to pee, but Sledge was still sound asleep. Merriell sighed and closed his eyes. Who knows if he’d ever get to wake up to this again.

Sledge mumbled something and shifted in his sleep. Merriell’s eyes snapped open as he felt Sledge’s erection press against his ass.

He was already hard (it was morning, after all) but this sent an unhelpful jolt of desire shooting through him.

“Sledge,” he whispered, jostling his arm slightly.

Sledge just mumbled and pulled Merriell closer.

“ _ Eugene, _ ” Merriell whispered desperately, shaking his arm.

“Wha? What is it?” Sledge said sleepily. Merriell felt his whole body stiffen when he realized just how entangled they were. 

“Sorry, sorry,” Sledge said, sitting bolt upright and sliding back to his side of the bed.

Merriell reached out, touched his shoulder gently. “Sorry, I needed to pee.”

Sledge nodded, blushing scarlet, and he looked so pretty in the morning light that Merriell wanted to kiss him everywhere, maybe make him flush with pleasure instead of embarrassment. 

But he couldn’t do that anymore.

He climbed out of bed and felt his cheeks burn when Sledge’s gaze dropped down to his cock, still painfully, obviously hard.

“Morning,” he said with a shrug, and then escaped to the bathroom.

When he finally came back (why did it take so long to pee with a hard-on?) Sledge had pulled on his pants and was reading a book on the couch. Merriell poked his head in.

“I was gonna shower, but you can go first if you want.”

Sledge shook his head. “No, you go ahead.”

Merriell grabbed his towel. He might take a little longer than normal this morning, but surely Sledge wouldn’t mind.

Sledge went back to sleeping on the couch, until one night he woke up calling for a medic.

Merriell cupped his face in his hands. “Sledgehamma, we’re safe, you’re home!”

Sledge blinked up at him. “Snaf… you’re not hurt? Where’s Ack-Ack?”

“He… he didn’t make it back,” Merriell said, his voice breaking.

“Fuck,” Sledge sobbed, burying his face in Merriell’s neck.

Merriell slipped an arm around his shoulders. “Come on, Eugene.” He half-led, half-carried Sledge into the bedroom. He leaned against the headboard and pulled Sledge into his lap, letting his head loll on his shoulder.

“I forgot,” Sledge whispered. “I forgot they were gone.”

“I know, honey,” Merriell said hoarsely. “I see them too.”

He wrapped his arms tighter around Sledge, telling him stories about the pranks he used to pull on his sisters, how angry his maman was when he cut into a pie when it was still hot.

“You’d like her,” he said. “She’s bossy like you.”

“‘M not bossy,” Sledge mumbled, and Merriell grinned.

“Keep telling yourself that, cher,” he teased, reaching up to brush the hair off of Sledge’s sweaty forehead.

Eventually they fell asleep like that, with Merriell resting his head against Sledge’s.

After that, Sledge slept in the bed with Merriell every night.

A couple weeks after he came, he was flipping through the newspaper at breakfast. “Looking for your horoscope?” Merriell teased.

Sledge shot him a look. “I’m thinking about getting a job. My Mom’s been asking me about coming home, and I’m… not ready to yet.” He took a sip of coffee. “Then I can find my own place and get out of your hair.”

Merriell bit his lip. “Or… you could stay here.”

Sledge looked up at him warily. “Really?”

“Yeah. I know it’s not Shangri-la, but it seems stupid for both of us to pay rent when you could split it with me,” Merriell said with a shrug. 

Sledge still looked unsure, and Merriell reached out and tilted Sledge's chin up, adding, “Plus, you’re finally starting to look less sickly.”

“Thanks Snaf,” he said, rolling his eyes, but he didn’t swat Merriell’s hand away. He looked down at the job listings. “If you’re sure…”

“I’m sure,” Merriell said, and Sledge smiled despite himself. 

On the day of his first interview, Sledge couldn't stop fidgeting. “You’re going to do fine,” Merriell said, doing his best not to strangle Sledge, who  _ would not  _ sit still while Merriell tried to fix his tie.

“I know, it’s just… what if they ask why I don’t have much job experience? What if they think…”

“Hey,” Merriell said tilting his chin up. “You’re smart, you think your parents would’ve spent all that money on fancy Catholic school if you didn’t have any brains?” He brushed at some lint on Sledge’s shoulder. “And you were a Marine, for chrissakes.”

Sledge nodded, staring down at his shoes. 

Merriell wanted to kiss him for good luck, but he settled for, "How about tonight I make my maman's secret recipe?"

"But we won't know if I've gotten the job yet," Sledge said. 

"Then I guess I'll be making it twice," Merriell said with a shrug, and Sledge smiled for the first time all morning.

Merriell swung by the market on his way home from the garage to pick up the andouille and crawfish. Ray gave him a significant look. “Celebratin’ somethin, Shelton?”

Merriell shrugged. “Nothin’ in particular. Just had a craving.”

“Alright,” Ray said, unconvinced. “Just makin’ conversation.”

“Bullshit,” Merriell said with a smirk. “You’re the biggest blabbermouth this side of the Mississippi, including my Aunt Jean.” 

Ray grinned. “Well that’s just uncalled for, Shelton. Your Aunt Jean is a piece of work.”

“You’re telling me.” Before Ray had a chance to ask any more questions, Merriell asked how Frances was doing. Luckily Ray could talk about her forever -- he was still telling Merriell about his plans to take her to the movies when Merriell walked out the door. 

Merriell breathed a sigh of relief when he finally made it to the apartment. It wasn’t much, he thought, but it was starting to feel more homey somehow. Maybe it had something to do with the books Sledge had started leaving everywhere, or his jacket dangling from the back of a kitchen chair. 

By the time Sledge came home, Merriell was chopping celery while the roux browned. “Something smells great,” Sledge said, walking in and peeking over Merriell’s shoulder.

“Good,” Merriell said, pleased. “How’d it go?”

Sledge shrugged. “Fine, I think. We’ll see, I guess.” He started unknotting his tie, and Merriell quickly turned back to the celery so he didn’t get distracted by thinking about unbuttoning Sledge’s shirt, kissing along his chest... 

Sledge’s voice brought him back to reality. “Anything I can help with?”

“Can you grab me a beer?” Merriell asked with a smirk.

“Are you sure you won’t chop a finger off after you’ve had one?” Sledge teased as he opened the fridge. 

“I’m sorry, who almost needed stitches after cutting an onion last week?” Merriell joked, and Sledge laughed.

“Just because  _ I  _ can’t chop vegetables to save my life doesn’t mean  _ you’re  _ any better at it,” Sledge said, popping the cap off the beer and setting it on the counter next to Merriell. 

“You’re so full of horseshit,” Merriell laughed. “If you didn’t have me, you’d starve. Or poison yourself.”

“Probably.” Sledge grinned and took a sip of beer. His arm brushed against Merriell’s as Merriell added the celery, onion, and bell pepper to the pot. 

Maybe it was the beer, but Merriell leaned against Sledge as he stirred everything together. Sledge blushed a little, but he smiled softly, letting Merriell use him as a headrest.

That night, Merriell woke up to Sledge tossing and turning in his sleep. He rolled over. “Sledge?”

“Shelton, where’s Shelton?” Sledge moaned, and Merriell’s heart was in his throat. Sledge’s hands clawed at the blankets, and Merriell took them gently and held them in his.

“Sledge, it’s Shelton, I’m here!”

Sledge half sat up. “What do you mean he’s  _ gone _ ?”

Merriell put a hand on his shoulder, pulled him close. “I’m not gone, I’m here.” His voice broke. “I never should have left you.”

Sledge blinked up at him. “S… Snaf?”

“It’s me, I’m here, cher,” Merriell said, resting his forehead against Sledge’s.

“Am I awake?” Sledge asked blearily. Merriell frowned and felt his forehead to see if he was feverish, but his skin was cool and clammy.

“It’s real, I’m here,” he whispered.

“I thought I was on the train again, and I woke up and you were gone,” Sledge murmured.

Merriell cradled his face with his hand. “I shouldn’t have left, but I’m never gonna do it again, I fuckin' swear.”

“Why  _ did  _ you leave, though?” Sledge asked. “Did you not want me anymore?”

“No,” Merriell said sharply. “I didn’t know  _ what _ to do, so I left…”

“What to do about what?” Sledge sat up. “Why the fuck didn’t you ask  _ me _ ?”

Merriell scrubbed at his face. “You were supposed to go home, meet a pretty girl, have some redhead kids as smart and bratty as you.” 

Sledge reached up and traced his jaw hesitantly. "Merriell..."

He shrugged. “How was I supposed to ask you to pass that up for a fucked up Marine?”

“If you had asked me, I would’ve said yes.”

Merriell stared at him. “What?”

“Look in my eyes, Snaf, I was dying back there in Mobile." Merriell snorted and rolled his eyes, mumbling  _ it's not the same as the heebie-jeebies _ but Sledge insisted, "I don’t want to marry some girl. I want you.” 

Merriell gaped at him, temporarily unable to speak. Sledge reached up, tangling his fingers through his curls. “And you might not be a girl, but I think you’re real pretty.”

Merriell swallowed, letting his hand drift down Sledge’s chest. “Oh, yeah?”

“Mhmmm. I’ve seen you covered in mud and blood and God knows what else, and I thought you were the prettiest thing I’d ever seen.”

“And now?”

“Don’t you remember that first morning I slept in bed with you?” Sledge asked, his voice low and rough. “Back in Japan I thought I’d die I wanted you so bad, but now it’s  _ so much worse _ .”

"Fuck," Merriell said eloquently. 

Sledge chuckled and then his thumb was running along Merriell's bottom lip. "Can I…"

"Eugene, I swear if you don't kiss me right fuckin' now I'm gonna die."

"Wouldn't that be tragic," Sledge said, deadpan, but before Merriell could say something snide Eugene's lips were on his. 

Eugene's lips were soft as ever, and Merriell kissed him slow and sweet, reveling in the fact that there would be no interruptions, no calls for dinner or fellow soldiers barging in. Nobody but Eugene, half naked in his bed, wanting him too.

He nipped at Eugene's bottom lip, and he sighed. "Why haven't we been doing this the whole time?"

Merriell shrugged. "Probably too busy with our heads up our asses."

Eugene laughed. " _ You  _ were, maybe," but his voice was fond, and he kissed along Merriell's jaw, whispering between kisses, "I wanted to touch you so bad that first morning, after you left for work I got back in bed and jerked off."

"Shit," Merriell said. "I jerked off in the shower."

Eugene moaned, and his hands slid down to Merriell's waist, pulling him closer, until he was straddling Eugene's lap. He dragged his hips slowly, letting his cock brush against Eugene's, and despite the underwear between them Eugene hissed "Jesus."

"Eugene!" Merriell said, mock scandalized, and Eugene huffed out a laugh.

"Shut up," he whispered, a smile tugging at his lips when he bucked his hips up and Merriell moaned into his mouth.

"Genie," Merriell whispered, softer and needier than he meant it to be. 

"Yeah, Mer?" Eugene breathed, and Merriell leaned back, smiling, watching that pretty blush spreading across Eugene's cheeks.

"I just want you," Merriell said, leaving hot, open-mouthed kisses on Eugene's throat. "I like it when you blush for me, all pretty," he whispered, grinding his hips into Eugene's again, swallowing the curses Eugene let out with each thrust. 

Eugene fell back against the pillows, his arms over his head, and Merriell's eyes ran over the smooth line of his biceps and chest, the way his eyelids fluttered.

"Mer, I need your cock," he groaned. 

Merriell leaned forward and kissed him. "Anythin' for you, cher," he whispered. "Just one sec." He slid off of Eugene's lap and went to the bathroom, rummaging through the drawers.

He came back with the lubricating jelly and condoms, and the sight of the Eugene laying naked, spread out on the bed for him made his cock throb.

He threw everything on the bed and raised an eyebrow. "Got naked without me, huh?"

Eugene smirked. "You're the one taking forever."

"Is that so?" Merriell asked, amused. He hooked his thumb in the waistband of his boxers and slipped them down before crawling back onto the bed. 

He dipped his fingers in the lube and slicked them up while Eugene watched him, his eyes heavy-lidded and full of lust.

He spread his legs wider so Merriell could crawl between them, laying on his stomach with one shoulder against Eugene's thigh as he traced one finger around his entrance. 

Eugene shuddered. "Come on, Shelton,  _ please _ \- ohhhhhh…" as Merriell slid one finger in.

"So it's Shelton, now, huh?" he teased, curling his finger the way he knew drove Eugene crazy. 

Eugene's laugh was cut off by a groan when Merriell slipped a second finger in, and his thighs started shaking. Merriell kissed his thigh and started scissoring his fingers and Eugene's hips lifted off the mattress. Merriell's mouth went dry watching him clutch at the sheets, looking for purchase as he fucked himself on Merriell's fingers. 

"So pretty," he whispered, leaning forward and licking from the base to the tip of Eugene's cock, tasting the pre come that was starting to drip onto his stomach.

Eugene shuddered. "Merriell I need you now," he whined. 

Merriell added a third finger, "Soon cher," he murmured. "I don't want to hurt you."

Eugene's hand reached up, touching his own nipples while Merriell stretched him out, and Merriell couldn't take his eyes off him. 

"Mer, fuck me, please," Eugene begged, and Merriell leaned forward and kissed him, soft and sweet while Eugene moaned into his mouth. 

"Hold on, boo," Merriell said, starting to line himself up, and then he swore, fumbling with the condom.

Suddenly Eugene pushed himself up on his elbows. "Mer, wait!"

"What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just… want you under me," Eugene said, biting his lip.

Merriell grinned, sharp and wicked. "You wanna ride my cock, boo?"

Eugene huffed, not quite successfully hiding a smirk. "Maybe."

Merriell leaned down to kiss him, and Eugene gave him a sly, cat-like smile, reaching up to tug on Merriell's curls. Merriell moaned, sucking on Eugene's bottom lip, when suddenly Eugene's hands were on his shoulders and he spun Merriell onto his back.

Winded, Merriell watched as Eugene straddled his hips. Eugene bit his lip, thinking. "Sit up for a sec? 

Merriell pushed himself up, taking the opportunity to run his tongue along Eugene's Adam's apple. Eugene shuddered, his hips grinding into Merriell, and he moaned. "Genie, come on, quit stalling…"

"Stop distracting me then," Eugene said, grinning as he grabbed his pillow to stack it on top of Merriell's.

He pressed a quick kiss to Merriell's temple and nudged him back down onto the pillows. Merriell watched him open the condom wrapper with his teeth, wondering how the tables had turned so quickly, and then Eugene's hands were on his cock and his head fell back with a groan. 

Eugene's hand stroked him loosely and Merriell gasped, bucking his hips into Eugene's hand, trying to get more friction. 

"Mer?" Merriell willed his eyes open and saw Eugene watching him as he rolled the condom on, his gaze sharp, almost predatory. So different from the boy who'd blushed when he asked to get fucked the first time. "What do you want, Mer?"

Merriell swallowed. "You. I want ya so bad, Gene, it's killing me…"

Eugene straddled his hips again and leaned forward to kiss Merriell, his hand unrelenting. "Genie, please…" Merriell whimpered. 

"Well, since you asked so nicely," Eugene purred in his ear, and Merriell groaned as he watched Eugene lean back and guide his cock to his rim and slowly mount him. 

" _ Jesus _ , Eugene," Merriell breathed, watching his head tilt back, exposing the line of his throat as he adjusted to the stretch of having Merriell inside him. 

"Yeah, Mer?" he asked, his voice pitched low, as he rolled his hips experimentally and Merriell reached up to grab onto the pillows. 

"It's just - shit- you feel so fucking good," Merriell gasped, and Eugene grinned and started riding him in earnest. Merriell couldn't look away from his face, the way his lips curved around Merriell's name, how he closed his eyes and sighed when his cock hit that perfect spot. His hips bucked up without his permission and Eugene gave such a dirty moan that Merriell almost came right there. 

"God, Genie, I love you," he said, without meaning to. He threw his arm over his face, hoping Eugene hadn't heard him. 

But Eugene went still. Merriell felt him tugging on his arm. "Do you really mean it?"

Merriell peeked with one eye, and Eugene was looking at him with such a soft look on his face that Merriell felt drunk off of it. "Yeah," he whispered. "I've loved you forever, Genie."

Eugene caught Merriell's hand and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. "I love you too, Mer," he whispered, "Always you."

Merriell pushed himself up with his other hand and kissed Eugene, who sighed against his lips, wrapping his arms around Merriell's shoulders. "God, Mer, I love you so much," he whispered, honey- sweet and Merriell smiled. 

And then Eugene's hips bucked against his again and Merriell groaned, clutching Eugene's hip with one hand and trying his best to hold himself up with the other. 

"Genie," he gritted out, "baby, you keep doing that and you're gonna make me come."

Eugene moaned and started riding him faster, and Merriell reached down and wrapped his fingers around Eugene's cock, which was leaking onto both their stomachs. Eugene gasped, clenching around Merriell, and then Merriell was thrusting up into Eugene as he moaned "Oh God, there, yes,  _ right there _ ," and came all over Merriell's chest. 

His hips stuttered, and then he sank down deeper than ever and Merriell came, grabbing onto Eugene's thigh, swearing in French. 

They collapsed into each other on the bed, trying to catch their breath, until Merriell reluctantly sat up and took off the condom. "I'll be back," he whispered, kissing Eugene's forehead, and went to the bathroom to get a washcloth. 

He came back to bed and cleaned Eugene up, showering him with kisses on his eyelids, his nose, his jaw. Eugene smiled sleepily and pulled him back into bed. He curled into Merriell's chest, and Merriell hummed, running his fingers through his hair. 

"I love you, Genie," he whispered, because he could say that now, he could say it 1,500 times a day if he wanted to, and Eugene looked up at him with those brown eyes and kissed him. 

"I love you too," he whispered, and then he yawned and collapsed onto Merriell's chest. "Love you so much."

Merriell woke up to sunlight streaming through the blinds, and he slipped out of bed, doing his best not to jostle Eugene. 

He went to the kitchen and made a pot of coffee, running his fingers over his lips, thinking about the night before. 

He walked back into the bedroom and Eugene smiled up at him, stretching, his eyes watching as the sheets fell back and Merriell's gaze dropped to his cock.

Merriell handed him his coffee, but before he could take a sip he reached out and ran his fingers over the finger-shaped bruises on Eugene's thigh. "Shit, Genie, I didn't mean to hurt you."

But Eugene just beamed up at him. "It didn't hurt. He tugged on Merriell's arm, dragging him back to bed. "Mom always said I bruise like a peach. Besides," he said, taking a sip of his coffee as his cheeks flushed. "I kinda like it."

Merriell laughed, leaning in to kiss Eugene's throat. "I'll have to remember that." Eugene grinned at him wickedly, and Merriell smiled back, reaching out to run his thumb along Eugene's jaw. 

_ Maybe we'll go out to get beignets later _ , he thought, leaning in to kiss Eugene despite his squawk about spilling coffee in the bed.  _ Much later. _

**Author's Note:**

> I've been working on this follow-up to my first Pacific fic for aaaaages, and I finally finished it! I love writing about these boys!
> 
> I tried to show them using their first names more as they get used to each other outside of the Marines, so I hope that wasn't too confusing! Merriell's Great Aunt Jean is inspired by MY Great Aunt Jean, who is also a piece of work and general menace. XD The chapter title's inspired by a line from Do I Wanna Know by the Arctic Monkeys.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! <3


End file.
